Man arrested, charged with shooting plastic pellets at school buses

SANBORNTON — A Sanbornton man was charged after firing plastic pellets at two school buses on Wednesday, after the occupants reportedly directed obscene gestures toward him, Sanbornton police said.

Police arrested Tarance Piper, 24, and charged him with two misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct and two misdemeanor counts of criminal threatening.

Police said the reports came in around 3 p.m. Wednesday of a vehicle following a school bus and firing an Airsoft-type gun at the bus. Airsoft guns are nonlethal and typically fire plastic pellets.

Winnisquam Superintendent Tammy Davis said the incident took place on Route 132 on the middle-high school run.

She said students were concerned when they saw the weapon. The driver alerted 911, she said. Initial reports mentioned an Airsoft gun, Davis said.

Police said they found Piper's vehicle at a Stage Road residence. Their followup investigation determined that two First Student buses had been hit by pellets from an Airsoft-type handgun. The buses were carrying students from the Winnisquam Regional School District.

Police said that Piper told them the incident started when the students directed obscene gestures at him and the passengers of his vehicle.

"We are following up with some bus safety procedures with students," Davis said.

Piper was released on his own recognizance and scheduled to appear in Franklin District Court on Nov. 7. Davis said he was a former student at Winnisquam schools.